The Gene Roddenberry archive has created some wonderful little short films in partnership with OTOY to showcase what is possible. This one is probably their best, most tear jerking one they’ve made yet. Kirk has returned.
Damn, it’s too early to be weeping. Shatner himself returned for this as well as Gary Lockwood as Gary Mitchell, Robin Curtis as Saavik, and Sam Witwer as young Kirk. The effect is absolutely astounding.
While there is a lot of controversy around deepfakes, these kinds of little films, like Kirk, are a definite check in the “positive” column. Incredibly lifelike and well beyond whatever Disney shits out to get your member berries fix. The Roddenberry archive is on a mission to preserve everything Trek and I think they are net-positive to fandom. These are people who revere Trek and and its characters, as opposed to Paramount who see it as a turnip to get transfusions from.
If you haven’t seen their catalogue, check out these:
You? At his side, as if you’ve always been there and always will be. And you… you belong…in another place. I don’t know where or how… I’ll figure it out eventually. — Edith Keeler